Country Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms country American [kuhn-tree] / ˈkʌn tri /

noun

plural

countries

1. a state or nation.

   What European countries have you visited?

2. the territory of a nation.

   The country is about 150 miles long.

3. the people of a district, state, or nation.

   The whole country backed the president in his decision.

4. the land of one's birth or citizenship.

   Do I need to return to my country to apply for a student visa?

5. the country, rural districts, including farmland, parkland, and other sparsely populated areas, as opposed to cities or towns.

   Many city dwellers like to spend their vacations in the country.

6. any considerable territory demarcated by topographical conditions, by a distinctive population, etc..

   The mountainous country around here is beautiful.

   The book takes place in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.

7. land considered apart from any geographical or political limits.

   This urban population is packed into a relatively small patch of country.

8. Law. the public at large, as represented by a jury.

9. country music.

adjective

1. of, from, or characteristic of the country; rural.

   They lived on a winding country road.

2. of, relating to, or associated with country music.

   That Nashville station plays country records all day long.

3. rude; unpolished; rustic.

   He was scorned for his country manners.

4. of, from, or relating to a particular nation or area; national.

   Each team will display their country flag during the opening ceremony.

5. Obsolete. of one's own country.

idioms

1. go to the country, to dissolve a Parliament and call for an election after members have cast a majority vote expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister and cabinet. Also appeal to the country.

2. put oneself upon the / one's country, to present one's cause formally before a jury.

country British / ˈkʌntrɪ /

noun

1. a territory distinguished by its people, culture, language, geography, etc

2. an area of land distinguished by its political autonomy; state

3. the people of a territory or state

   the whole country rebelled

4. an area associated with a particular person

   Burns country

5. 1. the part of the land that is away from cities or industrial areas; rural districts

   2. ( as modifier )

      country cottage

   3. ( in combination )

      a countryman

6. short for country music

7. archaic a particular locality or district

8. away from the coast or the capital

9. one's native land or nation of citizenship

10. informal the outlying area or area furthest from the finish of a sports ground or racecourse

11. (modifier) rough; uncouth; rustic

    country manners

12. not keeping to roads, etc

13. to dissolve Parliament and hold an election

14. an unfamiliar topic, place, matter, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• intercountry adjective

Etymology

Origin of country

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English cuntree from Anglo-French, Old French from unrecorded Vulgar Latin (regiō) contrāta “(area) opposite,” from Latin contr(ā) counter 3 + -āta (feminine of -ātus -ate 1 ); compare German Gegend “region,” derivative of gegen against

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In January, the country’s EV and hybrid sales fell for the first time in almost two years, declining 20% to 596,000 units, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.

From The Wall Street Journal

For countries like Germany, the “Build With Ukraine” initiative allows them to couple state subsidies with Ukrainian innovation, revitalizing sluggish economies and retooling ailing factories.

From The Wall Street Journal

The ballad is from Grimes’ self-titled country album which was released last year.

From Los Angeles Times

Panahi, whose work has seen him jailed in Iran in the past, is using his Oscar campaign to highlight the tumultuous situation in the country today.

From Barron's

Yemen is regarded as the poorest country in the Middle East.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• community
• land
• people
• public
• region
• society
• state

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.